Williamsburg man drowns Saturday at Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Clemente Soto-Moreno tried to rescue two female teenagers who were drowning

May 22, 2011|By Eric Gillard, egillard@dailypress.com | 247-4879

VIRGINIA BEACH — A Williamsburg man died Saturday after trying to rescue two teenagers who were drowning at the Oceanfront near 34th Street.

Witnesses to the incident told police that the victim, Clemente Soto-Moreno, 31, of the 4000 block of Governors Square, saw two female teenagers struggling in the ocean's current around 6:11 p.m. Saturday and he went into the water to attempt to rescue them, said Virginia Beach Police spokesperson Adam Bernstein.

The two teenage girls were with a group of people visiting the beach, including Soto-Moreno.

Bernstein said Soto-Moreno was able to reach the two teens, but he was unable to bring them to shore. A beachgoer witnessed this and ran into the water to assist them, who was able to safely rescue the two females, but Soto-Moreno was unable to get back to the shore, Bernstein said.

The person who helped rescue the two teenage girls went back into the water to look for Soto-Moreno, but was unable to locate him, Bernstein said. Soto-Moreno was located about 10 minutes later and pulled out of the ocean by lifeguards that had previously responded to the scene. The lifeguards and paramedics immediately began first aid and CPR on Soto-Moreno.

Soto-Moreno was rushed to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital; however, attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the hospital at 6:54 p.m. The two teenage girls were taken to the hospital for treatment and released.